Bringing People Together For One Purpose

#12 – Accountability

The twelfth characteristic of the man of God whom we seek is that he will be able to demonstrate a proven track record of accountability without compromising truth and holiness or succumbing to the fear of men.

It is easy for a man in leadership to get so caught up with the height of his rise to view anyone “above” him as an obstacle rather than an aide and to view accountability as a forced acknowledgement that someone is still higher than he. That totally misunderstands what accountability is.

In the first place, we are all accountable. We will ALL, one day, each of us, give an accounting of our individual lives to our King and Creator. If one tries to deny that fact such that it causes him to live lawlessly, as if he is his own judge and jury, accountable to no one but himself, his life will crash and burn. King David, the psalmist, told us that only a fool says, “No, God!” He created us; He put us here with assignments and resources; we don’t get the prerogative to decide that we can just go our own way.

That said, a wise man will make himself accountable to other men who especially have understanding and insight into his particular gifts and assignments so as to hone his performance to the highest degree possible. If one is not in the habit of making himself accountable even when it is not required of him by some force external to himself, he may balk and buck accountability later when it is required of him.

Do you voluntarily, on a regular basis, make yourself accountable to someone else, either an individual or a body of counselors? What is your track record of that submission and of your attitude towards it?